First Person - King Edward VIII's Abdication

In 1936, a mere eleven months after his ascension to the throne and before he had even been crowned, King Edward VIII of Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Dominions abdicated to marry the divorceé Wallis Simpson. His experience as the only British monarch to have voluntarily relinquished the throne is in stark contrast to reign of Charles I, from 1625 until 1649. Charles I believed kings ruled by divine right, and sought to augment his power. His conflict with Parliament resulted in his trial for high treason and subsequent execution. He made a defiant speech from the dock, asserting his ultimate authority.